Friday, June 10, 2011

CHERRY TOMATO, DRIED CHILLI & HIBISCUS SALSA

"We do not live an equal life, but one of contrasts and patchworks; now a little joy, then a sorrow, now a sin, then a generous or brave action".- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Rare are the people who would accept to live an insipid and hollow life without highs and lows or a uniform existence in which nothing good or bad happens and days flow in a homogenous way. At first, the thought of eradicating all troubles, drama, conflicts and discords is very appealing, but when you start to meditate a little more on the question, you soon realise that the lack of a healthy Russian mountain-style peak of emotions would be pure hell. Nobody can feel alive when neutrality surrounds them. Humans need to experience pain, sadness, despair, negativity and anger in order to understand the true meaning of pleasure, happinness, hope, positivity and peace."Negative" and "positive" or Yin and Yang energies rule our world. There is no doubt that good and evil exist...The same can be said about alimentation. Bland food is generally shunned, but on the contrary, dishes rich in different aromas always meet a frank success. There is absolutely nothing worse or more boring than vapid chow. It makes you lose your appetite as it is uninteresting and dull to the point of no return. The act of feeding then only becomes mechanical and its sole purpose if to fill the stomach. Eating should not only maintain your body in vigour, but should also uplift you soul, bring you joy, make you dream and titillate all your senses. It is an everyday celebration that can be compared to a Pagan life glorifying ritual.

As you might have guessed by now, I have no problem admitting that I am a zealous worshipper of firework flavors and a crazy spice enthusiast who loves to surprise my tastebuds rather than make them go to sleep with plainness. My passion for cuisines that rock is immense and I do not tolerate any form of taste obscurantism. Forbidding yourself to indulge in a meal is a crime and an insult to the almighty power that gave us the opportunity to materialize our spirit in the human form we impersonate and to walk this earth. It is our duty to make the most out of the time that has been granted to us during our current incarnation.

I am a buoyant hedonist and an open-minded woman of extremes who has schizophrenic tastes and who cultivates an attraction for intensity and things that are in total opposition to one another. For example, I enjoy the cold season as much as the hot season. My idea of great climatic and atmospheric conditions usually differs from that of others. The perfect weather for me is when the sky is azure blue the sun is shining blindingly and the air is dry as well as reasonably hot - you can hear the birds singing a symphony and the grass is lush green -, but it is also when the skies are pitch black and threatening, lumps of clouds hover in the abysmal sky, the wind is blowing tempestly, lightening is striking wildly, rain is falling in big drops - you want to stay home and curl up in the settee with a cup of warm tea and a breathtaking vampyre romance book - or when the air is freezing cold and snow is dancing in the heavens above- you can admire the naked and frosty trees that appear like ghosts, the snow covering the landscapes, flocks of crows screaming hauntingly.

This contrast can also be observed in other domains that are close to my heart. Photos or artistic creations that talk to me are soft, dreamy, colorful and have pastel tones, yet I am a total sucker for dramatic pictures or illustrations that are dark, glooomy, morbid and monochromic. My interest in music are also quite neurotic as I listen to a wide variety of sounds. Those can be classified into two antagonist and distinct styles that can be described as "ugly", raw, agressive, grim, violent, nihilistic, dissonant, ominous, tenebrous, extreme, unorthodox, insolent, metallic, testosterone-fueled/war-like (Black Metal, Death Metal, Doom Thrash, harsh EBM, etc...) or beautiful, peaceful, empyrian, soothing, ethereal, bluesy, romantic, feminine, atmospheric, bubbly and luminous (Ambient Music, Electro Pop, Goth Rock, Blues, etc...). My choice of films is pretty eclectic too. I am able to watch thrillers, horror flicks and switch over to dramas without a problem (as long as they are not big cheesy Hollywood productions - I am a fan of small budget films, especially those from Scandinavia and Germany). Idem when it comes to homes, apparels and the masculine gender. Modern Botta-like buildings or design residences has as much effect on me as cute little old stonebuilt English cottages, NOLAGarden District mansions, American log cabins or Scandinavian colored (red, blue, white, yellow and brown) wooden houses. Funky, classy, sassy, boyish, gothicky, rock'n'roll and romantic clothes generally catch my eyes. Men I find attractive cannot fit in one category either as I have never had one particular type of man (I do have one selection criteria, though I must admit that I prefer lean males...). It all depends on how charming they are and how much charisma they have (however, I have a boyfriend, so I am not free anymore ;-P) . And the list can go on forever...

At the end it all comes down to character. I am fond of people or things that have personality. It is not suprising then that I appreciate food that hails from all four corners of the globe and crave ambrosial sweet treats as much as I dream of savory and fragrant specialities. I am addicted to yummy yums that make my drool, bring a smile to my face and make my mouth sing.

So, while I was reading the latest issue of Jamie Magazine (one of my favorite publications and a real source of inspiration), I stumbled upon a Mexican-inspired recipe for a tantilizingly crimson sauce that immediately caught my eye and fascinated me.

Jamie Oliver's funky "Hibiscus, Chipotle & Hibiscus Salsa" looked insanely palatable, unique and promising that I had to make it immediately! So, I went in the kitchen in order to check the contents of my cupboards and fridge to make sure that I had all the ingredients I needed on hand. Luckily, I could proceed to cook straight away and was able to concoct a zesty relish.

As I always have the tendency to make modifications to all the recipes I test, I made no exception with this one. I tweaked it to my convenience. Instead of only using one kind of chilli, I decided to combine chipotle chillies together with ancho chillies. I also thought it might be awesome to add a sprinkle of Peruvian oregano (less pungent and more lemony than its Mediterranean alter-ego) as well as a splash of olive oil and replaced the red vinegar by sherry vinegar.

Needless to say that I was pleased with the final outcome (impossible to fail when cooking one of "The Naked Chef's" dishes). The sauce was delicately tangy, ever so slightly sweet (cherry tomatoes & red onions), delightfully fresh, lushly smoky (chipotle chillies), elegantly chocolaty (ancho chillies), lightly herby, subtly garlicky and had a lovely intensity/deepness. A fabulous condiment that adds a touch of sunshine to any meal!

Method:1. Cut the cherry tomatoes in two and with the help of a teaspoon discard the seeds. Set aside.2. Put the chillies and the hibiscus in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and cover with 120 ml boiling water.3. Over low heat, simmer gently until you get a thickish deep red syrup.4. Strain the juice into a bowl and discard the chillies as well as hibiscus flowers. Set aside.5. Heat a non-stick frying pan or griddle (cast iron) pan until extremely hot, then add the onions. Char on all sides.6. Halfway through the charring, throw in the garlic and let them get soft.7. Once the garlic is well charred, peel and throw in a blender together with the tomatoes, syrup, onions, tamarind paste, vinegar, oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper.8. Blitz until you obtain a thick, smooth and homogenous sauce.9. Serve.

Remarks:You can replace the sherry vinegar by red vinegar or white wine vinegar, and the Peruvian oregano by "normal" oregan (the flavor will be slightly diffrent) or even thyme.This sauce can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for about one week.

Serving suggestions:Serve with grilled veggies or meat/fish, fried or hard boiled eggs, jacket or oven fried potatoes, or use in a burger or a sandwich.

There is nothing I love more than to find an intriguing recipe; this one fits the bill; hibiscus is used a lot in the middle east, as a tea, or as a vegetable with the okra; but I have never had it in a salsa. can't wait to try your version which I find more refined in taste than Chef Oliver, in all due respect! :)

Rosa, when I read your opening and before I even arrived at this sentence "Humans need to experience pain, sadness, despair, negativity and anger in order to understand the true meaning of pleasure, happinness, hope, positivity and peace." it was just what I was going to answer. I totally agree. And you and I are so alike in so many ways! There is great pleasure to be found in all emotions and in everything around us that incites that wide range of emotions. It is also how I feel about food blogs: those whose writers dare bare all of their soul, all their emotions show me humans I can relate to! Always happy, flowery, perfect? I am just not interested. And this recipe? Wow! Pair it with something cool and mild and it is perfection!

This calls for 'karkadé" When I was a kid, my mom used to buy fresh roselles from the fresh market and we cooked it for syrup and left overs as confiture :-) I also used the fresh leaves in cooking "Chin Baung Kyaw", curry and salad. I love the sourish taste of the leaves :-)

Hi RosaReading your posts, you let us get closer to you by revealing all these aspects of your personality.Rightly said, food is so much more than just sustenance. For us fortunate few anyway. Love your adaptation of Jamie's recipe. Lovely photos too.

You are an incredibly talented writer. Those clicks and the recipe just make your writing and your virtual space a very sexy and irresistible spot for a foodie like me to visit often. Was waiting for this recipe and here it is! Love it! Loved every bit of your write up!!!!! Mo' please

Hi Rosa, This salsa is looking Gorgeous. A very well made post with beautiful pictures. Loved the new combo of ingredients and the recipe is so nicely made and presented. Its always fun to see ur appetizing recipes.Saving this recipe of urs and wud love to give ur version a try on the coming weekend. Have a great day….Sonia !!!

Amazing recipe - never used Hibiscus flowers in a recipe before... Though, In India they are used extensively for lowering blood pressure...they are so good for you. Didn't know that they can be used for making something delicious too...Thanks for sharing...-Shilpa

Jamie is an innovative and amusing chef. I do enjoy him...but did not know about the magazine.As I've gotten older, I like fewer ups and downs, but I do like spice, experimentation and the unusual in the kitchen. This looks wonderful, Rosa.

Rosa...you are as complex as you are unpredictable...however, always with charmingly great choices that are usually a crowd pleaser. I'm unfortunately not a fan of heat...however, I can really appreciate what was achieved with this recipe ;o)

Wonderful post. I totally agree. I feel people today put to much pressure on themselves to be happy all the time; it would not be right if we did not get sad or mad sometimes. I also love spicy foods and your salsa sounds wonderful. I love anything with chipotle peppers in it:)

This is the queen of salsa. Insanely beautiful, Rosa! Everything about it is classy. I should grab some hibiscus if I see them on the roadside. It's Malaysian's national flower anyway. Thanks again for sharing this. Well done!

Rosa!!! I am in LOVE with this salsa! It's so unique and the flavors are phenomenal..I love hot and spicy, so this one is bookmarked! However, not sure about hibiscus - I have a weird thing about using anyting 'flower' in my dishes..like licking perfumed soap! I think I may sub something fo it. Gorgeous photos!

I love, love, love salsa! I've never seen hibiscus before, it's hard to find a lot of things here but I'm seeing it more and more in recipes. I might just have to order some online because this sounds so unique and delish!

Rosa I am so glad you shared this recipe with us - and also your feelings about living life and experiencing its highs and lows! I couldn't agree with you more about savoring the beauty of a blue sky and dancing around when thunderous dark clouds toll, this post was a great read!!